Cap



Filed Dec. 23, 1965 3 HG. 5 .#L 0 L? 5 j] ,Z 7 Z0 Z4 ZZ Z5 52 INVENToRs 35 SAA/105.4 RAFow/rz Ha 5 CHA/M BaN/f BY @WQTORNEY United States Patent O s,rss,ss4 CAP Samuel Rafowitz, 1922 Morgan Ave., and Chaim Bonk, 1916 Morgan Ave., both of St. Paul, Minn. Filed Dec. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 332,352 3 Claims. (Cl. 2172) This invention relates to van improvement in caps, and deals particularly with a cap having a resilient insert designed to permit one size of cap to be used on heads of different sizes.

In our previous Patent 2,883,669, issued April 28, 1958, for Cap, included a rounded dome-shaped body having a visor projecting forwardly from the lower edge thereof. An ear tlap structure also encircled the major portion of the cap body and was foldable from a position inwardly of the upper portion of the cap to a downwardly projecting position to serve as a protection for the ears. The ear ilap portion is provided with a resilient insert which permitted the ear flaps to fit snugly within the interior of the cap body when not in use, and at the same time was capable of expanding sufficiently to extend over the ears and t tightly about the back of the head.

Due to the shape and general construction of the cap, the cap was not adaptable for use on heads of different sizes and shapes. As a result, it was necessary to maintain a complete inventory of cap sizes. It is an object of the present invention to produce a cap which is attractive in appearance and yet which is capable of accommodating heads of different circumference and shape.

More recently it has been proposed to produce a cap having a relatively inelastic crown portion which extended upwardly from the Visor and across the top of the head, and .to provide elastic portions marginally connected to this crown portion which is of sufficient height to be centrally folded to provide an alastic portion of double thickness extending around the major portion of the head and which, in unfolded condition, would serve as a protection for the ears and the back of the lower portion of the head. While such an arrangement produces a cap which will t a wide variety of head sizes, it is not particularly attractive as the major portion of the cap is formed of knitted fabric similar to that which may be used to produce tassel caps. Furthermore, as the elastic insert extends the full height of the cap to the crown, the more attractive inelastic portion is virtually concealed when viewed from the back. Furthermore, the cap does not hold its shape particularly well due to lthe fact that the cap is mainly formed of the elastic fabric.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cap ywhich is attractive in appeartance, and which does not deviate materially from caps of conventional style in general appearance. When the flap structure is folded upwardly to encircle the sides and rear of the cap body, the cap is similar in appearance to any cap of the same general shape. At the same time, the portion of the cap which encircles the part of the head which is normally of largest circumference, it is flexible and resilient so that the same cap body may be worn on heads of different size.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a cap which preferably includes an oval shaped crown to which is marginally attached a depending skirt which is normally generally cylindrical. To the lower edge of this cap body portion is provided a flap structure which is also generallyV arcuate in cross sectioon when in lowered posit-ion. This flap structure includes a pair of relatively. inelastic side portions which taper from a point of minimum depth at the edge of the visor to a point of maximum depth at its other end. A flexible ICC resilient insert connects the ends of these ap side portions, and the insert extends continuously through the height of the flap structure to terminate at a point intermediate the lower edge of the cap body and the crown of the cap. This insert, which is generally approximately rectangular, thus serves as a connection between the rear ends of the ilap portions and fills a notch in the lower edge of the body portion at the rear thereof which may expand to accommodate heads of various sizes.

An important feature of the present invention resides in terminating the resilient section of the cap at a point spaced below the connection of the crown with the encircling body of the cap. As a result, the distance between the top of the elastic insert and the line of fold connecting the flap structure to the cap body is less than the depth of the flap structure. Accordingly when the flap structure is folded upwardly in the position in which the cap is usually worn, the portion of the elastic insert extending into the cap body is completely concealed and only the inelastic material of the hat body is visible above the flap structu-re.

We have found that the size of the oval shaped crown and the portion of the inelastic material immediately adjoining the crown need not vary to any great extent in fitting a wide Variety of head sizes. The portion of the head which is of gretatest circumference insofar as the cap is concerned is usually located near the lower edge of then cap body when the cap is in place. As a result, the elastic insert may terminate at some distance below the crown of the cap without greatly limiting the variation in sizes of heads the cap will accommodate.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the spetcication:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of the cap with the ea-r tlaps folded upwardly.

FIGURE 2 is a rear perspective view of the cap shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a rear perspective view of the cap with the flaps in lowered position.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the cap.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the cap, the position of the section being indicated by the line 5 5 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional View through a portion of the cap, the position of the section being indicated by the line 6--6 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional View through a detail portion of the cap, the position of the section being indicated by the line 7 7 of FIGURE 3.

The cap which is illustrated in the drawings is illustrative of the preferred construction of the present invention. In general, the cap A includes a generally oval crown 10 which is formed of generally inelastic material such as fabric, leather, imitation leather and the like. The crown 10 is marginally secured by stitching 11 to a depending skirt portion 12 which is generally cylindrical in shape and includes a forward portion 13 and side portions 13A and 13B which extend throughout the major portion of the circumference of the crown 10 and which defines the depth of the cap and a relatively shorter rear portion 14 which is connected at its ends along seams 15 to the rear edges of the front portion 13. If preferred, the cylindrical body portion 12 can be formed in one piece with a rectangular notch generally numbered 40 cut from the rear thereof.

The forward portion 13 of the head body is secured along a seam 16 to a visor 18 which normally includes an upper layer, a lower layer, and an intermediate stiffening portion, not illustrated in detail in the drawings. The remainder of the circumference of the lower edge of .sa Y f the hat body portion 12 is connected to an ear mulf Structure 17 which includes a pair of side members 19' an outer coveringv 20 and a contiguous or substantially.

contiguous inner layer 21 which maybe of fur or other warm material which provides ay decorative appearance when the cap is worn with the ear flaps raised, and which act as a `protector for the ears fwhen the ear ilaps are As indicated' in- FIGURE 5, a crown liner 2 2 which normally fits the contour of the crown piecey underlies the crown but is not attached thereto.v The marginal edge of the crown liner 22-is stitched as indicated at 23 to the body liner 24 which follows the contour of the cap body and is usually provided with a front portion 25 which lies inwardly of the front portion 13Y of the capl bodyV and a shorter'rear portion 26 which lies inwardly of the krear portion 14, of the cap body. Thefront and rear portions 25 and V26 are connected along a seam 27 a,ise,e54. y

which is free `of attachment with .the' outer Vcap body, f

The lower edge of the yfront portion ofthe liner is'A secured to the loweredge of the forward portion 13 of the rear of the cap body and' the rear of the ear'mulf por- Y tions. 'The resilient section 30 includesv an inner layer 31 which is stitched orV otherwise secured as indicated at 32 to the lower edge of the liner portion 26, Vand an outer layer 33 which is stitched ory otherwise secured as TheY seam/being covered Vby ,a

indicated at'34 to the lower edge'of the rear body portion 14. The two layers 31 and33 are foldably connected kas indicated at 35.vr It will ybe noted that in preferred form, the inner layer 31 is free of connection with the crown or body portion of the cap. As indicated in FIG- URE 6y ofthe drawings, the inner panel 31 of the. elastic section is connected to the liner portion 25 by stitching such as 36,- and the outer panel .33,is connected to the outer panel13 of the body portion. along rows of stitching'37. This is not true of the lower portion of the the, upper portion of the resilie'nt'section` may liex the liner to t the contourjof trherhead.- AUsually the Alower edge of the cap body portion..12 encircles the. head where `it is' of greatestV circumference. As a result, it is notnecessary to make the rear portion Y14 ofthe hat body resilientand no useful purpose is accomplished inV doing so. At the Sametime, the resilient section in.- cludes at leastrthe lower one-half 'of the rear wall so that the Yresilient section may expand or-contract to lit' the circumference of the head.k .When the ear` a-p's'are folded upwardlyV as illustrated in FIGURES'- l and, 2 of the drawings, onlytheinel'astic portion of the cap exterior is visible above the 'aps greatly improving' the appearance of the structure over'caps which havean elastic insert extending to the cap crown. s

In accordance with the patent'statutes, the principles of construction and operationof `this. improvement in capshave been described, andl while fan. endeavor has. been made to set forth the best embodiment thereof, it should be. understood. that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the. spirit Q f ih@ invention, 1

and marginally secured thereto.'l f

We claim:

1. A cap including, l

a capV body including a crown and front and side portions `terminating at their lower edges along a substantially common. plane, and a rear portion terminating intermediatel the crown and said common plane to define a generally rectangular notch at the rear of the body,

a visor securedto the lower edge of said cap bodyopposite to said notch,

side flaps foldably secured to the lower edges of said cap body between said visor and said notch and n, f terminating in vsubstantial alignment with ythe sides Y of said notch, v e acap liner substantially coextensive with said cap body and secured thereto along the lower edges of the front and sides of said cap body,

a resilient insert includingl a pair of generally rectangular n panels foldably connected along their lower edges tol form rinner'and outer resilient panels,

' means connecting the outer panel to the rear edges of v the side portions and the rear portion of the cap Y body butV free vof connection with said liner, means ,connecting ytheV inner panel to they liner and freel of direct connection with said capv body,

said resilient insertV terminating on substantially a common- ;plane withthe lower edges of saidside y tlapsand Y n meansconnecting' the sides of said resilient insert to the rear edges of saidrside flaps. Y V2. A copyV including,k

a cap body including a crown, and front and side portionssecured at theirupper edges along a substantially common plane, .and a rear portion marginally` connected to the remainder of said crown margin and to Vsaid side portions, v 1

said rear Vportion terminating intermediate said crown and a common plane of the lower'edges of said front and sidel portions,

Ya visor vsecured, to thev lower ledge of said front and side portions opposite said rear portion,

side flaps foldablyconnected tothey lower edges of said front and side portions ,between said visor and terminating in substantial alignment withv the sides of saidv rear portion, I ,y Y

afcap liner'substantially coextensive `with said cap `body and secured thereto along the lower edges of f g said front and side portions of said cap body, v

a resilient insert including a pair. of generally rectangular panelsy foldably vconnected alongtheir lower edges to form `inner and outer resilient panels, means connectingtheouter panel to the rear edges of said sideportionsA and to therear portion of said cap bodyfbut freerof connection with said liner, means Vconnecting said inner panel tov said liner and i free ofV directconnection with said cap body, said resilient body terminating with its folded` edge substantially on acommonV plane withthe lower edge v of said'side flaps, and g .e

means Yconnecting 'the rear edges of'said side flaps to the sides of said resilient panels. j

3. The structure of claim 2and` including side ap liner panels substantially coextensive with said side flaps vReferences Cited by thexaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,035,273; 5/62 Krystal 2-172 YJORDANiF-RA1--JKLri\t, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CAP INCLUDING, A CAP BODY INCLUDING A CROWN AND FRONT AND SIDE PORTIONS TERMINATING AT THEIR LOWER EDGES ALONG A SUBSTANTIALLY COMMON PLANE, AND A REAR PORTION TERMINATING INTERMEDIATE THE CROWN AND SAID COMMON PLANE TO DEFINE A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR NOTCH AT THE REAR OF THE BODY, A VISOR SECURED TO THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID CAP BODY OPPOSITE TO SAID NOTCH, SAID FLAPS FOLDABLY SECURED TO THE LOWER EDGES OF SAID CAP BODY BETWEEN SAID VISOR AND SAID NOTCH AND TERMINATING IN SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE SIDES OF SAID NOTCH, A CAP LINER SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH SAID CAP BODY AND SECURED THERETO ALONG THE LOWER EDGES OF THE FRONT AND SIDES OF SAID CAP BODY, A RESILIENT INSERT INCLUDING A PAIR OF GENERALLY RECTANGULAR PANELS FOLDABLY CONNECTED ALONG THEIR LOWER EDGES TO FORM INNER AND OUTER RESILIENT PANELS, MEANS CONNECTING THE OUTER PANEL TO THE REAR EDGES OF THE SIDE PORTIONS AND THE REAR PORTION OF THE CAP BODY BUT FREE OF CONNECTION WITH SAID LINER, MEANS CONNECTING THE INNER PANEL TO THE LINER AND FREE OF DIRECT CONNECTION WITH SAID CAP BODY, SAID RESILIENT INSERT TERMINATING ON SUBSTANTIALLY A COMMON PLANE WITH THE LOWER EDGES OF SAID SIDE FLAPS, AND MEANS CONNECTING THE SIDES OF SAID RESILIENT INSERT TO THE REAR EDGES OF SAID SIDE FLAPS. 